Sir, – It seems that in many Catholic schools, pupils who happen not to be Catholic must remain in the classroom during religion classes, but are not allowed to study other subjects or do homework. It appears the schools’ intention is that pupils who are not Catholic cannot gain an “advantage” over Catholics by using religion time to study examination subjects.
Diarmuid Bolger (October 30th) describes this behaviour by schools as "the encouragement of students to grow in their own faith and spirituality".
However, there is one big difference – the State pays teachers to instruct children in publicly-funded schools in the Catholic interpretation of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Those children who happen not to be Catholic are left to study their worldview on their own.
In the interest of equality, there is no reason why the State should not require all denominational schools to source and pay teachers to instruct children in the religious views of, for instance, Denis Diderot, Karl Marx, Bertrand Russell, Jean-Paul Sartre or John Maynard Keynes, in accordance with the parents’ wishes – just like for Catholic children. – Yours, etc,
ANTHONY O’LEARY,
Portmarnock, Co Dublin.